Also would like some advice on ride etiquette, being a newby & 60 yo. Reckon I'll be a tad slow & probably riding a more careful leisurely pace. Any advice apart from "Keep the bloody hell out of everyone's way"

First of all, well done on taking this on! Looks like a great event. Which distance are you choosing?

Shoot me a PM. I have some material you will find useful.

With regard to what to take, I would suggest the following:Given this is a lap race rather than point to point, you have the option of going lighter and omitting the Camelbak hydration pack in pursuit of more comfortable riding.

You should carry:At least one spare tube, plus tyre levers, pump and patch kit, and know how to use them. CO2 inflator is optional.Multi-tool including chainbreakerSRAM quicklink x 2 to 3Ref's whistle for signalling if in distressMobile phone

Thx for the reply trailgumby. I have most of the gear you mentioned except the whistle. Will acquire 1 for the ride. Am quite proficient at tyre repairs & general bike repairs etc. (I'm a mechanic so I darn well should be). Only gonna tackle the 20km for a first up & see how I go. Have been doing a few rides at Nerang State Forest & quite enjoying it. Also check You Tube vids out for hints & skills to practice. Jingos, I'm like a little kid again & loving it. Will Pm you my details. Cheers Bob

I forgot to include spare derailleur hanger in the parts list. I carry one on my trail rides as it's a long walk back on some of the out-and-backs we do... and I have needed it on two occcasions in the last couple of years. One was from a stick, and the other was a ham-fisted me applying too much force attempting to straighten it after hitting a rock with the RD.

Goo wrappers (or a $5 note if desperate) make for great tyre liners if you slash a sidewall on a rock.

I also tend to carry a small first aid kit - it was a requirement for my first 50km event and I thought I might as well leave it in there as it weighs very little, but that would probably be overkill for a first race..

Will make a shopping list. By the way, where do you carry all this, in a camelback? I've got a rear carrier that attaches to the stem but was thinking it was too big and bulky for the enduro. A seat bag I've got is too small. Fits a tube and nothing else. Might get an "L" plate and stick on my back. Jks

For lap races where the circuit is up to 25km, the elites tend to carry their spare tube taped to the seatpost with a CO2 inflater(how they keep the dirt out of the nozzle I'm not too sure) and the rest of the stuff goes in jersey pockets. They top up the nutrition from a folding table of their own or a team mate in Transition (mtb racing's equivalent of the pits).

For us mortals and general trail riding it tends to be camelbaks. I ditched my saddle bag after the zip came open on a ride. With the increasing prevalence of telescoping seatposts you don't see saddlebags much at all... I reckon in a few seasons they'll have gone the way of bar ends.

FWIW don't put nutrition product in your Camelbak - they go disgusting and are impossible to properly clean once you've got some growth.

My First Enduro canned . My lad's footy finals come first. Dunno why they don't have the match on Sunday (same as first 2 weeks of finals). Wonder if they'll bend & switch to Sunday just for me........................Got me doubts. Ah well have to delay my first until October. http://www.summerofcycling.com/freedommarathon.htmWill give me a bit more time for training in Nerang Forest.

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